Couple reveal torment over vile hate campaign ‘their landlord subjected them to because they were gay’
The landlord reportedly started blocking their drive, ignoring repairs and shouting homophobic abuse
COPS are investigating claims a landlord subjected his tenants to a vile campaign of hatred - after discovering they were gay.
Olly McLellan, 32, and partner Scott Cole, 30, said they felt like prisoners in their own home shortly after moving into the £1,200 a month two-bedroom house in January.
A week after the let landlord Jason Gwillim, 52, discovered they were a couple and allegedly started blocking their drive, ignoring repairs and shouting homophobic abuse.
The tenants claim he left a card in the property addressed to "the ugly poofs" and allege he was also caught on camera sneaking into the property when they were out at work.
The "physically sick" couple used a six-month clause in their year-long contract to quit the house in St Albans, Herts., in July and have since reported the owner to police.
Olly, who runs a media company, said: "I’m not sure if the estate agents told him before we moved in that we were gay, they thought two guys were moving into a two-bed house.
“But it's got nothing to do with him whether we’re just friends or in a relationship so long as we pay the rent on time."
He added: "It started with him letting himself into the house. He was there all the time and was shouting abuse at us like 'poofs'.
"It was just a nightmare. We were scared to come home if he was there and to leave the house if he was outside.
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"We were like prisoners in this house. We felt like prisoners in our own home. We wanted to be able to live in private.
"It got to a point where we got home for work and saw him in the house. We went and waited in a supermarket carpark until he had gone."
They immediately contacted the police, but were informed that as Gwillim, who is believed to own 40 properties, is the owner, the case was a civil matter.
Instead they decided to use the six month mark of their tenancy to cut their losses and they moved in July to a house 13 miles away in Rickmansworth.
A week later they came home in Rickmansworth, Herts, to find rubbish had been fly-tipped onto their front door.
They believe Gwillim is behind both these acts and have reported it to Hertfordshire police to investigate.
A spokesman for Herts police said: "Police are investigating following an incident at an address in Rickmansworth.
"It has been reported that a card containing an offensive message was delivered to an address and that bags of rubbish and grass trimmings were left outside the front door.
"Enquiries into the incident are continuing."
Mr Gwillim was contacted but refused to comment.